The Owls of Ga'hoole: Solara's Story
by WaterNinja134
Summary: In Solara's eyes, the Guardians of Ga'hoole aren't real but her brother, Soren, thinks otherwise. Solara thinks the same thing as Kludd, the Guardians are just a story. Since Solara isn't a very good flyer, Soren tries to help with the guardian stories. But when Solara and her brothers get captured by the Pure Ones, she will have to do the thing she is terrible at. Fly!
1. Chapter 1: Solara's Life

**This is my first Guardians story so be nice. DISCLAIMER: The only thing I own in this story are my OCs and maybe a few events that happen.**

**Chapter 1: Solara's Life**

I watched as Eglatine and Soren played Battle of the Ice Claws. My two barn owl siblings. Kludd was being Kludd. He didn't believe in the guardians and I wasn't so sure that they were real either. I looked like any barn owl. A brown heart with no bottom tip circled my head and the inside was white with a few brown feathers going down my beak. The feathers that went down my beak parted at the middle just like Kludd. The feathers on my face were as white as they could be and my eyes glowed with a gold color. Outside of the heart on the top and back of my head was brown and a few feathers came up. My wings and my backside were a light colored brown with a few gold and white feathers. I saw Da and Ma fly into our hollow.

"My talons are upon you!" Soren screamed. "Your days of terrorizing the owl kingdoms are over!" Soren was wearing a leaf helmet ad Eglantine a leaf beak.

"Not so fast! You're no match for my army of Pure Ones!" Eglantine said back. They hopped around in a circle and Soren flapped his wings a bit. Eglantine was still very small and hadn't grown feathers like Soren but she tried to flap her tiny wings just like Soren.

"Perhaps but I am Lyze of Kiel." Soren spread both his wings out.

"Soren-but," Eglantine tried to interrupt but Soren continued.

"And I've assembled my own army: The Guardians of Ga'hoole! Swore an oath to make strong the weak, mend the broken, mend the broken and vanquish evil!

"Oh," Eglantine whined. Soren sighed and broke character.

"Eglantine, what is it?" Soren asked.

"This time you said I would be Lyze of Kiel."

"C'mon, next go, alright." Eglantine rocked back and forth.

"I hope you're not lying, to Metal Beak!" Eglantine ran at Soren and he pushed her back with his talons which caused her leaf beak to break.

"Ow, my beak," Eglantine said as she stared at it cross-eyed. "Da." Da laughed.

"Okay young owlets, that's enough now time for bed," Da said and pulled off Eglantine's broken leaf beak.

"Enough stories about the guardians," Kludd begged with relief.

"Now Kludd, stories are a part of our culture and history," Da said. "We learn from them."

"Even after the 700th time you heard them?" Kludd asked.

"Yes even then," Da said. "Unless you already know all there is about them." Soren pushed his way in front of Da.

"I know the guardians win," Soren said. Kludd pushed him back.

"Soren, it's just a story," Kludd said.

"It is not," Soren argued back.

"Here we go again," Mrs. P, our nursemaid, said.

"I mean, Da, have you ever seen a guardian?" Kludd asked.

"Kludd," Da tried to explain. "Just because you can't see something, doesn't mean it isn't real." Kludd sighed and rolled his eyes.

"That's enough for one night dear," Ma said. "Tomorrow is a big day." Soren and Eglantine settled in their nests. I looked outside and saw the sun rising. It was pretty late.

"Eglantine, I've laid the down extra soft for you," Mrs. P said.

"Do you really think Metal Beak is real?" Eglantine asked Soren. I ignored Soren's story about the Battle of the Ice Claws and settled in my nest next to Kludd. I asked Kludd a question.

"Kludd, are the guardians real?" I asked. Kludd faced me.

"Solara, you know that the guardians are just a story and they're not real," Kludd explained. I knew they weren't real. "But I could be wrong, the guardians could be real but that would also mean that the Pure Ones are real. Don't worry about it now, just go to sleep."

"Some say the evil king still lives and uses a metal mask to hid his missing beak," Soren said. Eglantine gasped.

"Stop!" Kludd yelled. "You're going to give her daymares."

"But this is my favorite part," Eglantine said.

"I know, I've heard it a thousand times," Kludd said. "You've got a soft head, Soren. I think Da has filled it with stories and dreams."

"There's nothing wrong with dreams," Soren said.

"That's the difference between you and me brother, I have my dreams when I'm asleep," Kludd stated. "Now would you just go to sleep." Kludd went back to his nest and put his wing around me. I loved my brothers, especially Kludd.

*Dusk*

"Solara, it's time to get up for our flying lessons," Kludd said as he shaked me with his claw. I yawned and opened my eyes to see Da in front of us and the moonlight shining in my eyes. I got up and stretched my wings.

"C'mon now," Da said. Kludd and I walked out of the hollow and started flying lessons. Kludd took right off and flapped his wings really hard. "Kludd wait."

"No Da," Kludd said and landed on a branch before taking off again. "I'm going to be the best flyer ever. Because Tytos are the best at everything. Right Da." Da flew next to Kludd once he needed to rest and I carefully climbed my way to them.

"You have strength Kludd but owls are the best hunters for one reason," D said.

"Yeah I know: Their silent flight," Kludd interrupted. "By the time I have my claws out." This time Da interrupted Kludd.

"The mice will have run away and you and your hatchling will go hungry," Da said.

"Da," Soren called and climbed to the branch we were on. He had his leaf helmet on. "I'm ready." Da laughed.

"I don't think your first flying lesson will be that dangerous," Da said and pulled off the leaf helmet. Da guided Soren to the edge of the branch. "Now don't worry how much noise you make in the beginning, you just need to stretch your wings and-" Da never got to finish his sentence because Soren glided smoothly and quietly down to the branch below.

"Well done," Da complimented.

"Beginner's luck," Kludd said. He jumped and flapped his wings clumsily. Kludd landed without grace and caused one of the small branches to break off when he landed. It fell into the dark forest below.

"You know Kludd, it helps when I picture where I'm going to land," Soren said. Kludd ignored him.

"C'mon down Solara," Kludd called to me. Da flew down and waited for me to try too. I looked down at what seemed like a bottomless pit and jumped back a bit. "Don't worry, you can do it." I smiled and jumped. I instantly started to fall so I flapped my wings the hardest I could but it didn't help much. I didn't glide and I was more awful than Kludd. I neared the tree branch and Soren moved out of the way to make a spot of me. I put out my talons and prepared to land but I missed it and stopped flapping as I hit my stomach on another branch and landed on one below. Da, Kludd, and Soren flew next to me.

"Solara, are you okay?" Da asked. Kludd helped me get up and I stretched my wings out to make sure they weren't broken.

"I think I'm okay," I said.

"That's enough for today," Ma said as she flew down to our branch. "Noctus, let's get the kids inside."

"Can we come with you on the hunt?" Soren asked hopefully.

"Not tonight," Da said. "But when the time comes, at least you'll have the helmet for it." Da put the leaf helmet back on Soren's head and we all climbed the branches up to the one level with the hollow and went inside. Eglantine was coughing and hacking.

"If it wants to come out dear, let it," Mrs. P said. Eglantine hacked until a pellet burst out of her beak.

"Ew," I said. "Gross."

"What is it?" Eglantine asked with big and wide eyes.

"It's your first pellet," Mrs. P said.

"First? You mean there will be more?"

"Every owl yaps up pellets and I think I may have your sister and brothers' forst pellets."

"No Mrs. P not again," Soren begged. Mrs. P took Eglantine.

"Hey Kludd, Solara, you want to go out and do some more branching?" Soren asked in a whisper.

"So you can go and show off again," Kludd said.

"Then maybe we should stay in here and play Battle of the Ice Claws," Soren said. Kludd looked at his brother and they both went outside. Kludd told me to stay inside because I could fall and hit the ground. After a few minutes when they didn't return I went on the branch to see how they were doing. I didn't hear the loud flap of Kludd's wings or Soren's voice. I was about to call them when I felt points near my chest. My wings were forced against my side and I was taken into the air. I looked up and saw a male, Boreal Owl. He had greyish-white feathers with his wings tipped with red. His face was outlined with an oval that was black. Right in the middle of his face, his feathers were stained red along with the middle of his chest.

"Who are you?" I asked. He looked down at me.

"Don't ask any questions," the owl said. I looked back forward because I was too afraid to say anything else. I hope that Soren and Kludd are okay.

** Solara had been captured but she knows nothing about what has happened and where she is going. Solara is also worried about Soren, but not as much as her favorite brother, Kludd. Again, I do not own anything except my OCs.**

**~WaterNinja134 will be right back!**


	2. Chapter 2: Escaping

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the plot, only OCs.**

**Chapter 2: Escaping**

**Solara's P.O.V.**

Dawn had come when I saw Soren and Kludd again. They were carried by two other owls and we had also met and Elf Owl named Gylfie. The sunlight made me really sleepy and I fell asleep along with Soren and Kludd.

I was awakened when I was thrown against the cold and hard ground of mountains of rocks. I stood up and there were many other owlets.

"Kludd!" I called. "Soren!"

"Solara!" Soren called.

"Be quiet and listen to the old man!" an owl commanded. I found Gylfie and Soren but not Kludd. Everyone quieted down as the owl that carried me here talked.

"Your parents have abandoned you so you will now be classified by orphans." The owlets gasped but I didn't believe anything they said. "Tragic, I know, but by the mercy of Glaux, you have been rescued and brought here to St. Aegolius. In time, you will be grateful to the kindness brought to you and you will repay that kindness with labor. Some of you will be pickers." The owl stared right at an owlet who had just started getting real feathers.

"Oh no, I don't want to be a picker," he said.

"Some of you will be soldiers and in your way, you will all serve the high Tyto."

"Let us go!" Gylfie shouted. All of the owlets started screaming and talking. It was a complete madhouse. A couple of the owlets tried to run away but large owls with metal masks covering their entire face except their gleaming red eyes went in front of them. The owlets continued to make a ruckus until an owl screech came. Everyone quieted down and looked up. Two of the red eyed soldiers flew in line and perched on a wooden pole that stuck between a high level rock. Then a pure white owl with wingtips red flew so close to all the owlets that they had to duck to avoid being hit. The owl flew up and perched on the bone like pole that was onto of the rock.

"I am Nyra, general of St. Aegolius and mate to the lord high Tyto. I know right know you miss your families but you will come to understand that the Pure Ones are your new family."

"The Pure Ones are not our family!" Gylfie cried. "Let us go!"

"She's right, let us go!" Soren added. Nyra flew down and stood in front of us, double my size. All the owlets backed away.

"Tyto, don't waste your time," Nyra said. "Don't soil your feathers."

"You leave her be," Soren said.

"Oh, a spirited little Tyto. You and your patch of felt with stay together, as pickers." An owl came and pushed Soren and Gylfie down the right path. They pushed against his wing but he was stronger.

"What about my brother and sister?" Soren asked.

"Oh, where are they?" Nyra asked. I ran straight to Soren's side because I couldn't find Kludd and I didn't know what else to do.

"Kludd," Soren called. Kludd tried not to look at us but Nyra saw him.

"Owlet, that one says you're his brother. Would you like to join him?" Kludd thought for a second and then turned his head away. "I didn't think so." The owl pushed us down the right path and made us wait until all the hatchlings had been singled out. He told us to get in line and follow him. All the owlets were scared and when one tried to run, another Pure One stopped it. We were walking down a fire lit path.

"Thank you," Gylfie said. "You know Soren, you don't have to be here with me, you should be with your brother."

"I could never be with those Tytos," Soren said as he was bumped into by a hunched over owlet with a basket on its back. Its eyes were filled with white like the moon. "Hey."

"It looks like-like he's been moon-" Gylfie started but never finished.

"Alright come on."

"Do exactly what he says or you'll never see the light of day again," an owl said looking right at us.

"Soren," I said.

"Yes Solara," Soren answered.

"I'm scared," I said.

"Don't worry, I'll find a way out." The owls lined us up.

"Lean back, put your beak up to the light of the glorious full moon, and sleep." Once the owls couldn't hear us anymore, Gylfie started to talk.

"We mustn't fall asleep," Gylfie said. "I think they're trying to moon blink us."

"Moon blink?" I said questioningly.

"In the desert, owls would get exhausted and collapse under it," Gylfie explained. I looked around to see the other owlets yawning and close their eyes. "When they woke up, they just weren't the same as if they had forgotten who they were."

"Gylfie, we are going to get out of here," Soren said. Gylfie looked up at the sky.

"I know these stars," Gylfie said.

"But the only way off here is to fly and we can't," I said.

"Not yet we can't but every time they're not looking, we're going to stretch," Soren said but then stopped. I faced the moon and closed my eyes as an owl walked by. He looked at me closely and then left, thinking I was asleep.

"Do you really think we can make it Soren?" Gylfie asked.

"We'll get away," Soren said.

***Almost Dawn***

The moon was going down and I was exhausted. I just closed my eyes to rest them and the next thing I knew was that owls were pushing me as if they didn't see me. I felt like I should be following someone and I looked around for Soren and Gylfie.

"Soren, what do we do?" I asked.

"We need to act moon blinked," Soren answered and then told Gylfie. I tried to act moon blinked and no one saw me. Gylfie was walking with straight legs and her wings spread out as if she was a zombie. Soren just stared forward. We were pushed into this place and a moon blinked owl was throwing pellets at us.

"Ew, other owls pellets," Gylfie complained.

"Maybe it would have been better if we had been moon blinked," Soren said.

"Eureka," one owl said and grabbed the moon blinked owls face. "Great job number eight, five, seven, whatever." He threw the owlet back and picked up the pellet.

"Hey you with the blank expression," the white owl said.

"That's all of them," the red owl said.

"Oh, listen he's talking." The red owl continued to explain.

"This is the kind of pellet you're picking for. Mouse fur, mouse bones, that's all standard. The rare ingredient in this one is what Mr. Mouse ate. A metal fleck." He picked out two flecks and shoved them in mine and Soren's beak. "Now you go take it up to where all the flecks belong." Soren and I walked slowly toward the dancing blue light.

"Faster." The owls pushed us forward to make us go faster. We climbed up the small set of stairs and the blue light grabbed the blue flecks. Soren was starting to huff but I didn't feel anything. I saw a blue light go into his chest and he huffed harder and faster. A bat came down from the wall and quickly grabbed the fleck from me. The bat put it in the pile and grabbed the other one from Soren. It screeched and a bat from way higher up swooped down and grabbed the basket. It flew it away and Soren was being sucked in. When the blue flecks were out of reach, they let go of Soren. Soren breathed heavily.

"Solara, are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine but what happened."

"Alright, get back to work." The owls called. Soren rushed back to Gylfie with all the energy he had left.

"What happened?" Gylfie asked.

"Those birds are doing something terribly wrong," Soren said and bent down to face Gylfie. "We have to get out of here."

"We'll find Kludd, right?" I asked.

"And exactly what do you think you're doing?" the owl that carried me here, I think his name was Grimble, came up to us. He looked at us closely and I stepped back in fear. "C'mon let's go." He pushed us forward with his wings. I stayed close to my brother. We were taken to this cut in the cliff which was blocked by some large branches.

"What do you plan on doing with us?" Soren asked.

"Quiet," Grimble said and pushed me and Soren forward. He looked back at the red eyed Pure One. We went along further in. I looked at Gylfie and she was filled with fear and she was shaking. I was just as scared as she was.

"Where are you taking us?" Soren asked.

"Stop asking questions," Grimble said and pushed us again. Gylfie jumped and gasped after seeing a pile of bones on the floor.

"The Pure Ones won't be too happy if you don't let us get back to the pelletorium," Gylfie said. Grimble walked ahead and faced us. I shrunk back again and Soren put his wing over me.

"No, and they won't be too happy when they find out what I'm going to do to you, are they?" Grimble spread his wings out a little and Gylfie held her breath. "I'm going to teach you to fly."

"Fly?" Soren asked.

"You can breathe now," Grimble said. Gylfie dramatically let go of her breath and Grimble laughed. "Things have been getting worse here and they've already have gotten your sister moon blinked."

"Solara," Soren said and looked at me. I looked away. "Look at me." I faced Soren and he looked into my eyes. I saw the reflection in his eyes. My eyes were gold but the black pupil on the inside wasn't all black. I saw a crescent moon circling half my eyes.

"I told myself that anyone who was smart, and brave enough to resist that I would help them. I guess you three will have to do."

"But aren't you a Pure One?" I asked.

"No, I hate them, almost as much as what they turned me into," Grimble said. "My feathers weren't always stained with these colors. When the Pure Ones invaded our kingdom, I fought back. They thought they could use that so they took my family. They promised if I followed orders, no harm would come to them. I've been doing their dirty work ever since." Soren and Gylfie looked at each other. Grimble flew up and perched on a rock.

"Now have you been flying at all before?" Grimble asked. Soren told me to answer but I still didn't trust him.

"We have been branching," Soren said.

"Well you don't have the luxury of gliding from a nest anymore," Grimble said. "We need to work on your power skills starting with what you already know. Show me." Soren started running and flapping along with Gylfie but I didn't move. Soren flapped and rose into the air and Gylfie followed right behind him. It took a couple of seconds before they grew tired and landed.

"Try to feel every muscle, every feather in each stroke," Grimble said. I started running and flapped, slightly rising into the air. I felt every feather and muscle that moved and it helped me a bit. Soren jumped and flapped his wings before he hit the ground which made him go higher and higher. Gylfie was above him and she was flapping so much that she flipped over and started to fall. She hit Soren on the head and landed with her back on the ground. Soren landed next to her and we all laughed. I remained in the air but I fell and knocked Soren over too. We all laughed again.

Grimble urged us to keep practicing, "Alright you three, that's enough. Back to work." We all sighed and got back up.

***With Kludd***

Nyra stood with a caged blue jay by her side. "Now, the best of you, the most fitted of you, I will present to the lord High Tyto." Nyra opened he cage and grabbed the blue jay with her talons. "Let's see how much you've improved, as flyers, as fighters." Nyra threw the blue jay and it zoomed past Kludd. Vaygar, Kludd's rival, and Kludd looked at it then back at Nyra for permission. She responded with a 'well' and all the owls took off. Kludd ran ahead and attempted to fly but Vaygar slammed him out of the way. Both owlets started to fly with Vaygar ahead and the other owlets were still on the ground. They both neared the blue jay and Kludd got ahead. Vaygar scratched his back with his talon, causing Kludd to fall behind Vaygar. They both landed on a stalagmite and flapped as they raced to the top of it. When Vaygar got to the top, he turned and threw a rock at Kludd. Kludd swiftly moved his wing and took off into the air. Kludd ran into a pole holding up a banner and grabbed it with his talons. He turned around and threw it which made all the other owlets fall to the ground. Kludd looked at them but steered his attention back to the blue jay. Vaygar was about to grab it but Kludd zoomed forward and slammed him out of the way. He brought up his talon and pushed the blue jay's wings to its side. Kludd lowered himself to the ground, huffing and breathing deeply, proud of himself for catching it. Nyr landed behind him.

"Well done," she said. "You've shown exceptional obedience and discipline. My husband will be most pleased and impressed." Kludd tried to give the blue jay back to Nyra but she just looked away from it. Kludd threw the blue jay and it flew away.

"Tell me, do your brother and sister have similar potential as a flyer?" Nyra asked. Kludd mumbled a bit but answered.

"Soren-no. He fell out of the tree when he was still a hatchling," Kludd lied. "He's lame." Nyra laughed.

"Oh soldier, you mustn't confuse prey for license," Nyra said. "Never lie to me. And your sister?"

"Solara." Kludd thought to himself wondering if he should lie about his sister too. "Solara has the potential to be an amazing flyer and fighter. But she can't fly yet." Nyra believed this.

"For the lord High Tyto, we need as many strong flyers as we can find. Let's show your brother the rewards of recognizing their true family."

***With Solara and Soren***

Grimble flew in front of us to show us how to fly. "More flap, deeper flap." Grimble turned and flew behind us. I was learning to use the air to hold myself up instead of wearing myself out by flapping. But I still wasn't getting close to being able to fly. "The still air will teach you to use the down strike. Make your wingtips meet if you can and that's all." Grimble flew over our heads as we landed.

"I can't curl my feathers enough Grimble," Gylfie said. "My wings are too short."

"They always said Lyze of Kiel's wings were too short," Grimble said and landed in front of us. "But that didn't stop him. You're going to have to fly a long way to get to the guardians." I looked at Grimble in disbelief and Soren with hope.

"The guardians aren't real," I said quietly so no one heard me.

"The guardians of Ga'hoole?" Soren questioned. "But how will we know where to go?"

"You have to get to the Sea of Holimere. There where the tree is shrouded in ancient mist-"

"Which keep it hidden from all but the strong of purpose and the true of heart," Soren said the end of the sentence like he knew it by heart.

"Exactly," Grimble said. "I'd come with you but I still hold out the hope of freeing my family."

"Really?" a voice said. I looked past Grimble and saw Nyra, Kludd, and two Pure Ones. Grimble turned around sharply.

"Go!" he said in a whisper.

"Kludd, come with us!" Soren shouted. Kludd just shot a dirty look at him as I peered around Soren. His face was scarred. Kludd saw me and looked wistfully at me. I was confused. Didn't Kludd love me? He always told me that he did.

"Now!" Grimble commanded.

"Get them!" Nyra ordered. Soren, Gylfie, and I started to run toward the open sky while a Pure One darted toward Grimble. Grimble bent down as the slashing talon went over him and he jumped and knocked out the Pure One. The other one neared and they both locked talons but Grimble flipped the Pure One over and landed on him which knocked him out as well.

"Kludd!" Soren called as we ran.

"Your little owlets won't get away," Nyra said as she spread out her wings and screeched. We came near to the edge and Soren and I put on the brakes and stopped sliding just before we fell off. Gylfie was of little weight and didn't push us any further when she slid into us. Nyra and Grimble both flew into the air and tried to slash each other with their claws.

"We need to jump now Soren!" Gylfie screamed. I saw Grimble smack Nyra with his wing and pin her to the ground.

"Wait! Kludd c'mon! Now is our chance!" Soren shouted. Kludd looked at Nyra and then at me.

"Kludd!" I called.

"What are you waiting for?" Grimble asked as he kept Nyra pinned. "This is your chance to go home." Kludd looked at me and then at Nyra. Nyra screeched and Kludd made his decision.

"I am," he mumbled. "I am home!" Kludd screeched at Grimble which made him lose his grip on Nyra and she forced him back with her wing. Grimble landed on the ground and broke his wing.

"Would you wound your queen Grimble?" Nyra asked.

"You're not my queen," Grimble said. Grimble hit the lamp with his good wing and cause a fire to break out. Nyra flew over it and screeched as she ran right into Grimble and they both tumbled toward us.

"Now!" Gylfie shouted. I spread my wings out and jumped. Soren glided while Gylfie and I flipped around as we fell.

"C'mon! Flap! Flap your wings!" Soren called. I flapped my wings harder and Soren dived under me to help me get my balance. Soren continued to dive and slid across the rocks Gylfie was about to land on to help her get her balance. I saw two more Pure Ones fly to help Nyra get rid of Grimble.

"Follow the owlets!" I heard her command. Soren, Gylfie and I flew straight ahead. I had to flap so hard and fast just to keep myself in the air. I really couldn't fly at all.

"Tell the guardians," Grimble said. I looked back to see Nyra slash Grimble with her talons and her eyes turned red. I faced back forward as she and the two Pure Ones dart toward us.

"They're catching up!" I yelled and flapped as hard and as fast as I could. They chased us around giant rocks and beyond. They chased us into a cave in a rock. I saw a little beam of light. The Pure Ones got so close that I could feel the wind from their flapping.

"Look! There!" Soren shouted. "I see an exit!"

"Where?" I asked. A Pure One slashed me right across my left wing and I screeched in pain.

"C'mon! Follow me!" Soren said. I felt like time slowed down. I saw Soren look back to see if we were there. Then he faced forward and folded his wings to his side. I saw them both go through a hole in the rock. The Pure Ones slashed me again across my left wing. I had managed to slow them down because they were trying to get me instead of flying ahead. I gave one final and painful flap of my wings. I folded them at my side and closed my eyes.

**Did Solara make it? Or did she get captured? These are the questions that I don't know the answer to. Yes I'm the author but I don't know the answer to these questions. Okay I do but that's not the point. I have a request from all you readers out there. Every time I'm typing my story and a dramatic part comes, I always feel my heart pump really fast in my chest. I want all of you to tell me if you feel that same thing when you type a story.**

**~WaterNinja134 will be right back!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Long Flight

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my OCs and possibly a few events.**

**Chapter 3: The Long Flight**

I gave one final and painful flap of my wings. I folded them at my side and closed my eyes. After two seconds I heard metal against rock and opened my eyes. I spread out my wings and looked behind me to see a metal talon retreating back inside the hole. By the time they went out of that cave and around, we would already be gone.

"I need to rest!" Gylfie shouted. I saw her wings catch the air and she fell back. I flapped my wings so hard and fast. I couldn't fly like this. It hurt so much.

"C'mon Gylfie! We have to!" Soren shouted. He looked back and called my name.

"I'm here Soren!" I shouted. "They're gone." I caught up to them but I was being pushed back by the wind.

"Are you sure?" Gylfie asked. I looked back and was caught by the wind but I flapped myself back up.

"I think so," I said. Soren looked at his left wing which was being held up by the wind. He made no effort to stay in the air while I put all my effort and Soren stayed in the air.

"Gylfie, Solara," Soren said and laughed. "We're flying!" Gylfie laughed and they both flew above the clouds. I tried to go up but my wings were tired as they were. I heard them laughing and having fun while I was stuck down here.

"Soren!" I called.

"Solara, where are you?" Soren asked.

"I'm under the clouds."

"Come up here. It's so cool."

"I can't. My wings are so tired." I saw Soren and Gylfie come down from the clouds and come by my side. They saw me as I flapped my wings hard and fast to stay in the air.

"You're going to exhaust yourself," Soren said.

"You can't fly like that," Gylfie said. "And your wing is hurt." I looked at my left wing and it had an X on it because of the slashing.

"I don't know how to fly any other way," I said. Soren thought for a minute while my wing was burning.

"I have an idea," Soren said. "Gylfie, switch sides with me." Gylfie flew to my right side and Soren to my left.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Since your left wing is injured I'm going to put my wing over yours and Gylfie will do the same with her wing. That's why she's on the right because her wings are smaller. Just put your wings directly under ours." I lifted my wings under Gylfie's left and Soren's right. Soren said not to flap them. I felt the air under my wings. I was flying effortlessly.

"I'm doing it," I said to Soren. Soren smiled and we continued flying like this for a long time. Gylfie was getting tired and she was falling down a bit. "I think I see land." Soren looked down and so did Gylfie

"Can we rest for a bit Soren?" Gylfie asked. Soren nodded and then spoke to me.

"Gylfie and I are going to lift our wings off of yours and we're going to land." I nodded and they leaned to the side. I stayed calm and slowly flapped my wings twice. I let myself glide toward the ground.

"Are you hungry?" Soren asked.

"Why?" Gylfie asked back.

"Watch this." Soren flew ahead and pinned a moth to the ground. Then I heard another voice.

"Nice hunting. You should be real proud of yourself. Catching a moth that's already been caught."

"Who is that?" Gylfie asked.

"I don't know," I answered.

"You hadn't caught it," Soren argued. I got closer and saw a Burrowing Owl.

"I was very close. One might even say I was this close," the Burrowing Owl put two talons really close together. The moth got out of Soren's grip and flew away. "Perfect." Gylfie and I landed on a branch of a tree trunk.

"Ahem," Gylfie said. The Burrowing Owl looked at me and Gylfie then back at Soren.

"An ambush huh," the owl said. "I bet you didn't count on this." The owl started digging really fast and Soren used his wing so dirt didn't get into his eye. The owl dug his way underground and didn't come out. Gylfie and I flew over to Soren.

"I'm sorry we took your moth," Gylfie apologized.

"It wasn't his moth," Soren said.

"Yes it was," the owl said from underground.

"We were just looking for a place to hid and rest," I said. The owl popped his head from underground.

"In which order?"

"What do you mean?" Soren asked.

"I mean do you need to hid first or rest first?"

"What difference does it make?" I asked. The owl spread is wings out and jumped out of the hole.

"Huge! If you need to hide first, I'd say you were in big trouble. But if resting was on your mind, I'd say your situation wasn't so dire.

"We're on our way to the sea of Holimere," Soren said. The owl hopped around us.

"Three little owlets like you will never reach the sea. There are some scary beasts out that way."

"Scary beasts," Gylfie said sounding scared.

"If the hawks don't make a quick lunch of you, the buzzards will. And if the buzzards don't-"

"Our request remains the same. Do you have a place to rest?" I asked.

"My sister is hurt," Soren said. I showed him my left wing and he looked at me with sad eyes.

"Name's Digger," he said and hopped onto a fallen tree. "The hollow is this way." We followed Digger through some twisted trees, under thorny bushes, and we finally came to a hole in the ground. We climbed in and I saw water falling from one of the branches that we maneuver through to get to the center. I went over and put my hurt wing under the cold water. It felt really good after it had been burning.

"So you're traveling to the sea," Digger said. "You know what they call those who fly to the sea?"

"No, what?" Soren asked.

"Lost," Digger said and spread out his wings. The hollow went dark. "Oh Twilight. We've got company." I looked at the entrance and saw a Great Grey owl come in with a purple snake in his beak. The hollow lit up as Twilight came in.

"Put me down this instance," the snake said. "I mean it. This is highly disrespectful." The snake hissed.

"Dinner is served," Twilight said. "And she will not stop talking." I looked closer at the snake. It was Mrs. P!

"Mrs. P, it's me, Soren," Soren said and ran in front of her. Mrs. P wrapped herself around Soren.

"It can't be!" Mrs. P cried. "I've been looking for you and Solara and Kludd and then this. To be snatched up by this monstrosity."

"Monstra- Digger who are these tiny owls and why are they talking to dinner?" Twilight asked.

"My name is not Dinner!" Mrs. P said and hissed. "I hate to be driven to hiss. It's so un lady like."

"Dinner is rather moody isn't it," Twilight said.

"She's not dinner," Soren explained. "She's my nurse maid. Mrs. P these are my friends: Gylfie and Digger and Tw- Twilight is it?"

"Charmed to meet you Dinner, I mean Mrs. P," Twilight said. Digger jumped up to the rock that Twilight was perched on.

"These three owlets are on their way to the Sea of Holimere to find the Great Tree." Digger said.

"What? No. We need to get you two home." Mrs. P said. I took my wing out from under the dripping water.

"Mrs. P," I said. "They still have Kludd and other owlets are being taken from their nests just like we were. I don't want that to keep happening." I remembered how happy I was to see that Soren and Kludd were okay after I had been captured.

"We have to go find the guardians," Soren said.

"An adventure at foot!" Twilight shouted and pulled out a loot.

"Oh no. Not the loot!" Digger pleaded. Twilight began to strum the strings with his talons. He cleared his voice.

"Though his nurse maid tells him no,

The boy will not be tamed," Twilight sung. I blocked out his singing until he was done.

"Just because it's sung, doesn't make it a song," Digger said.

"That song just came to me if you can believe it," Twilight said.

"I think they can believe it," Digger said and rolled his eyes.

"We've got a long journey, so, Mrs. P," Soren said. "You know it's what Da would want."

"That's why I'm coming with you," Mrs. P said.

"What," Twilight said and spread out his wings a little. "No, please do not leave us here."

"You're the first souls we've seen in eight moons," Digger said.

"And if I have to listen to any more ridiculous owl jokes," Twilight said.

"Well, if I have to listen to any more terrible songs," Digger said. As the two owls argued, Soren, Gylfie, Mrs. P and I started to slowly sneak out. Digger pooped his head under the branch. "Please don't go. Do you even know the way to the Sea of Holimere?" Soren and I just looked at each other. Digger then informed us that Twilight knew the way. Twilight popped his head under the branch too.

"Of course I know the way," he said. "I will lead you to the Sea of Holidance."

"It's Holimere," Digger whispered.

"Are we really going to do this?" I asked Soren.

"It's the only way to stop the Pure Ones," Soren answered. We left the hollow and took flight. I felt the wind rush by me as I flapped and I was barely flapping because Soren and Gylfie helped me learn to fly. I folded me wings to my side and dived to the water. Then I pointed me head up and spread out my wings to their full wingspan. The wind carried me back up to everyone.

"Does it feel the way you thought it would?" Soren asked.

"Much better," I said. Soren smiled at me and then I heard Mrs. P going 'weee.' I looked toward Twilight's loot and Mrs. P had her head sticking out as well as her tongue. Digger flew closer to her.

"You know Mrs. P," he said. "I think you may be the first snake ever to fly."

"I think I am," Mrs. P said. "And I quite like it." Soren gazed forward at what seemed like an endless sea. I wonder if the guardians are real.

_***With Kludd***_

Nyra looked at the dancing blue lights emitting from the flecks as she led the lucky, young owlets to present themselves to Metal Beak. Kludd followed right behind her, wondering where they were going. Many other strong owlets were coming as well but Nyra was going to pick out Kludd for he had a chance to follow Soren and Solara. Kludd always thought if he made the right choice to stay in St. Aegolius. He missed his sister but Soren was just a tiny pebble to him. Kludd looked forward and saw a huge rock mountain just ahead. Nyra shifted her wings and started flying upward toward the giant gash in the rock. All of the owlets did the same and they were soon standing in front of a masked Greater Sooty Owl. Kludd's sister, Eglantine, was put behind Kludd. As Kludd had been told, the Sooty Owl was a Tyto Tenebricosa. All the owlets bowed their heads toward the lord High Tyto and a Pure One forced Eglantine to. Nyra flew next to Metal Beak.

"I've brought you an offer with beating hearts. Your new soldiers, tested and pure," Nyra said. "One shows exceptional proportion." Kludd couldn't help but look up a little. Metal Beak turned around.

"I'll be the judge of that," Metal Beak said. He caught eye of Kludd looking up and knew this was the soldier his mate was talking about. Metal Beak told Kludd to step forward and he did out of fear. "Yes, you have the right to be afraid in my presence. What is your name?"

"Kludd," Kludd mumbled so that not even the owlet closest to him could hear.

"Speak up," Metal Beak commanded.

"Kludd. My name is Kludd."

"Good. Weakness is for the lower species, never us. And do you know why?" Kludd didn't hesitate to answer because he knew.

"Because we, are Tytos!" Kludd was a Pure One. Loyal to the lord High Tyto. Metal Beak.

_***With Solara and Soren***_

I saw the sun rising through my sleepy eyes. It was dawn and everyone was tired.

"I've got another one," Digger said. "Knock, knock."

"Please don't respond," Twilight begged.

"Who's there?" I asked, thinking it would keep me awake.

"Don't encourage him," Twilight said.

"Owls," Digger said.

"Owls who?"

"Here it comes," Twilight warned.

"That's right, owls who." I laughed a little but not a lot. I saw a tree just ahead and told everyone else. We flew toward it and landed on the branches. It was going to be another night of flying tomorrow and we don't know when we're going to see land again. I went over to Soren and he put his wing around me and did the same with Gylfie on his side. I felt Digger lean against me too. My eyelids felt really heavy as Twilight strummed a beautiful note on his loot. I thought he was bad but he was actually good. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

Soren woke up me, Gylfie, and Digger up. I saw the sun halfway between the horizon and above us. We hadn't gotten much sleep but we could rest another time.

"C'mon guys, let's keep going," Soren said. "I yawned and stretched my wings out. Then I flapped them and took off toward the sky. Another day of flight. I wondered if we were even going anywhere. The guardians aren't real so where are we even going. I noticed a crow take to the sky as well but I didn't think much of it. We flew on, over the miles of grasslands and water. It wasn't very windy today so I had to flap my wings a little more. Digger told some jokes to annoy Twilight but I thought they were funny. Soren tried to coach me some more on flying.

"If you bend your wings a little, the wind will carry you more than if you keep them straight," Soren said. "Even if there isn't very much wind." I tried it and bent my wings slightly. I rose into the air a little and noticed that I didn't have to flap even half the time I did before. The crow cawed and I looked at it.

"I think that crow has been following us," I said.

"Yes, I've had my eyes on him for a while," Twilight said. I heard Digger whimpering so I looked around. A lot of other crows started to gather around.

"What does an owl say when he's picked by a crow?" Digger asked.

"Really Digger, must you?" Twilight asked and peered back at him. A crow suddenly dove in and scratched off some of Gylfie's feathers.

"Ow!" Gylfie said.

"That's right, ow!" Digger said as another crow picked him. All of the crows started to dive in and try to pick us. Everyone managed to move out of the way but I couldn't because of my wing. Crow picked me left and right. A crow swept by Twilight and picked off on if his feathers. It came right back and took Twilight's loot.

"Oh that is it," Twilight said.

"Twilight," Soren called. "Your loot."

"Ah, let 'em have it. Good riddance," Digger said then realized something. "Oh-no."

"Mrs. P!" everyone shouted together. The crows started to fly away and we all darted after them. They led us close to the water and around columns of rock. The crows were throwing it back and forth making it impossible to catch them. Soren flew ahead and I saw the crow look back. The crow dropped it and Soren dove down. Right before Soren had it in his talons, another crow swept past his and grabbed it.

"We can't get them," Soren said.

"I'll get you closer, we're going to lock talons," Twilight said. "I know what I'm doing." Twilight flew in and Soren ad him locked their talons.

"Have you done this before?" Soren asked.

"I've always wanted to try." Twilight flipped around and launched Soren at the crows. Soren flew far ahead but started to lose his balance and fall. I dove right under him and he flipped around and regained his balance. We had caught up to the crows and they dropped the loot. Soren dove right in and caught it and landed on a rock. The crows surrounded him and Twilight scared them off. They all flew into the air but stayed above the rock we were on. Twilight watched the crows while Soren checked on Mrs. P.

"Mrs. P, are you okay?" Soren asked.

"I'm quite alright," Mrs. P answer as she slithered out of the loot.

"Owl," Twilight said to Soren. "You sure can fly."

"Thank you Twilight," Soren said.

"Well, here we are," Twilight said. I looked forward at the setting sun. A metal gate with a design on it was put between to rocks to show that this was the Sea of Holimere.

"It's the Sea of Holidance," I said. Everyone laughed at my joke, including Twilight.

"Twas foretold that trespassers would land on my rock," a porcupine said as he walked out from behind one of the rock walls.

"We mean you no harm," Soren said.

"Twas foretold," the porcupine said.

"We've flown a long was," Gylfie said.

"Twas so foretold." The porcupine pointed his cane at Gylfie.

"And we're very tired," Digger said.

"Twas foretold." Digger ducked to prevent the cane from hitting him as the porcupine swung it. "Now stat your desire owl." Soren was about to answer but Gylfie interrupted.

"Shouldn't he already know that?" Gylfie asked.

"Twas foretold there would be one who doubts."

"Wait, you're the Echidna," Soren said.

"The Echidna and it was foretold that you would need a little help getting here," the Echidna said as the crows perched themselves on rock ledges.

"We seek the guardians," Soren said.

"He should already know that," Gylfie said.

"My Da said your spines can guild us," Soren said.

"And they will," the Echidna said. "Keep between the whale's fine and the eye of Glaux." The Echidna pointed his cane up at the stars. "Do not go outside those stars. Now go! All of you!" No took off for flight and we stayed where we were.

"Twas foretold they would hesitate but that in time they would become a family. A family needs all of their members to play a part." The Echidna said. He pointed his cane at Twilight. "A warrior."

"A poet warrior," Twilight corrected.

"Strong and noble," the Echidna went to Digger. "The tracker, sturdy and faithful." Next, he went to Gylfie. "The navigator, who doubts." Then Soren. "The leader who's gizzard is strong." He bent down to look at Mrs. P. "The heart. Wait, are you a snake."

"Yes I am," Mrs. P answered. The Echidna mumbled something and then walked over to me.

"And finally," he said. "The protector who is held back by fear and disbelief but is strong of purpose and true of heart." The Echidna walked under the gate and we all took off. "Remember, when your wings are weak, your spirits down, and you've flown as far as you can, you're halfway there."

"What did he say?" I asked.

"We're halfway there," Digger said and flew up a bit.

**_*Night Time*_**

We had flown straight into a blizzard and it wasn't going easy on us. Ice pounded against my wings and I had to flap hard to stay into the air. Gylfie and Digger were being blown back by the wind the most.

"I can't find my bearings," Gylfie said. "We're lost."

"We have to find the island!" Twilight shouted.

"The tree is on the other side," Soren said. "I can feel it in my gizzard."

"Your gizzard!" Digger said. "Is anyone else having doubts about this."

"Digger, why are you flying like that?" Twilight asked. I was blown back by the wind but I recovered and flew next to Soren.

"You know how I fly," Digger said. I looked back to Digger.

"Digger, your wings!" I said. Digger's wings were frozen over. Digger took one look at them and said goodbye as he fell toward the water. Everyone dived for him but I didn't see anyone else following me. I saw Digger going head first toward the water and he couldn't flap his wings. I folded my wings to my side and shot toward him. The second I was near him, I unfolded my wings and locked talons with him. I flapped really hard against the wind to keep both of us from falling in the freezing water. Digger looked up and saw me.

"Solara!" he shouted.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Digger nodded and I flapped hard to try to go back up but it was too much to carry. "Digger, on three, I want you to swing up and flap your wing, okay."

"Okay," Digger said.

"One…Two….Three!" Digger swung up and flapped while I swung down. I let go of Digger and fell toward the water. I tried to flap my wings but I couldn't get my balance. I plummeted toward the water and closed my eyes.

"Solara!" I heard Soren's voice scream my name. I fell farther down but then I stopped falling. I felt points in my chest and my wings were forced to my side. I was being captured by a Pure One. I couldn't let that happen again.

** Oohhh! Surprise ending. I love writing stories. It's so much fun.**

**~WaterNinja134 will be right back!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Tree

**Chapter 4: The Tree**

I wasn't going to let myself be captured by the Pure Ones again. I screeched and spread out my talons. Then I scratched the claw that was holding me and the owl let go with a screech. I saw that it was a male, Snowy Owl. He had a metal mask on but I didn't see any red eyes. I wasn't going to let that fool me. I scratched the owl's tail feathers with my talons as he came near me. As he screeched again, I darted back toward Soren. My wing was hurting even more now.

"Soren!" I called as he came in sight. Soren flew straight to me.

"Are you okay, Solara?" Soren asked.

"I'm fine." I answered. Soren looked past me so I turned around. I saw another Snowy Owl but this one was a female.

"Can you fly with me?" she asked.

"There are six of us," Soren said.

"Yes, we know." The owl turned around and began to fly after the owl I had scratched. Soren started to fly after them but I stayed where I was.

"C'mon Solara," Soren called. I flapped my wings and flew after Soren. Everyone else was following but I wasn't so sure if I should've. Soren noticed that I was flying weird. "Is something wrong?" he asked. I showed him my left wing and it was really bad now. We kept on flying and made it past the storm. The sun was already rising by the time I saw a tree in the distance. It became bigger as we neared it. The female Snowy Owl was still leading us. She led us under a twisted tree and a bell rung to show that someone had returned. This wasn't St. Aegolius but I still didn't trust this place. Soren gazed at the tree in amazement. My feathers were being blown by the wind. We flew under the gate and into the amazement of the tree. I let my guard down for a second, just looking around at the beauty and strength. The tree was so big and it reminded me of home. But instead of the ground, there was water. We all landed on a platform built onto a tree branch. Soren and I went to the very edge and watched as all the owls flew by, carrying things in their talons to help with the tree. It was magnificent.

"Isn't it beautiful Soren?" I asked.

"Yeah," Soren answered. "I just can't believe we're here." I looked at all the banners that hung from the branches. The blue ones had a water signs on them and the green ones had grass on them. Sunlight came through all the twists and turns of the tree. I thought the owls would be asleep but everyone was awake and lively. The female Snowy Owl approached us.

"My name is Barran," she said. "I am the queen of the tree. You two and your Elf Owl friend will need to come with me." I went over and got Gylfie. I had no idea where we were going but she took off flying and I, Soren, and Gylfie followed her. It wasn't a long flight. We flew up to another platform, diagonal of the one we were on before. A bunch of little owlets were being kept from going inside. The cleared a path for their queen. I just noticed that her metal mask and talons were gone. Soren, Gylfie, and I were brought into the room in the tree and we perched on top of a twisted branch. I saw the other Snowy Owl. He must have been Boron, king of the tree. I saw his leg. It was wrapped in a bandage because I scratched him. I felt bad right now but the meeting began. Soren and Gylfie told them everything that had happened since we were taken from our hollow.

"I'm concerned about this fleck material they speak of," one owl said. "It could be a weapon or a shield."

"Having examined them, your majesty, they do show signs of the trial they described," Barran explained.

"Who would believe that these brave owlets flied all the way here." I looked next to the owl that spoke and saw a Whiskered Screech Owl preening his feathers. Soren and Gylfie saw him too. I heard an owl laugh and looked over at him.

"Does the lord Allomere feel otherwise?" Barran asked.

"If I understand this correctly," Allomere said. "Metal Beak is not a myth, he's building an army of enslaved owlets, and is planning to conquer the world with magical pellet debris. Without turning any disrespect to these brave owlets, such a story simply spread its possibility too far." The owl who was preening his feathers laughed so much, he started to cough.

"Does that story strike to you as amusing, Ezylryb?" Boron asked.

"What's amusing to me is that you would cover yourself by besmirching these owlets," Ezylryb said. I saw that his left eye was scratched across. I couldn't understand what those two owls were saying because they were talking so fast and the rest of them joined in. All the noise stopped once I heard a pound. I looked over at Boron and saw that he was pounding a rock against the branch.

"We're trying to find the truth," Boron said.

"The truth," Soren said unexpectantly. "We told you the truth." Soren nudged me with his wing because he knew I hadn't spoken this whole time.

"We've told you the truth," I said. "Pure Ones do exists. They've kidnapped us and hundreds of other owlets from their hollows. They want to enslave all who resist and make evil soldiers out of those who join them. Any owlet they get their talons on, they will moon blink and turn them into slaves. They believe the strong will rule the weak, that weak are put out of their misery, and they want to rule our world without any pity or mercy. The only proof I have are my words." I would have continued but Soren interrupted me.

"Wait," he said. "We have a little proof."

"And what is that?" Boron asked.

"My sister," Soren said. I realized that they had partially moon blinked me but it wasn't having any affect. "They moon blinked her but not enough to make her a slave." I looked over to Soren and he looked at my eyes.

"I wish to see this," Barran said. She fluttered down from her place next to Boron and came toward me. I backed up a little because I still wasn't sure if I should trust them. Soren nudged me with his wing.

"It's okay," Soren said. I swallowed and stepped forward, off the branch. Barran lifted up my chin with her talons and stared into my eyes. I saw the crescent moons in my eyes. It was the same as before; nothing had happened to them. She flew back next to Boron and nodded.

"The only real proof I have are my words," Soren said. "But it was the only proof I had that you were real and still, I believed."

"And you would argue with that," Ezylryb said.

"I won't argue with it," Boron said.

"Your majesty," Allomere said. "My search and rescue chaw is scheduled to leave during the next full moon.

"No, you shall leave immediately," Boron said. "Take your best owls." He pounded the stone against the branch and all of the owls flew away. Soren and Gylfie went to watch as Allomere departed and I was taken to get my wing healed. I closed my eyes while they did something with my wing. It hurt a little but not too bad.

"You should be able to fly well with that on," Barran said. I thanked her and walked out of the hollow. I saw another owl waiting for me.

"C'mon," she said. "You're already late for dinner." She flew off the platform and I followed her. We went through twists and turns and I watched as the owls. I must have lost track of time because I saw the sun setting. The tree was lit up by torches. The owl landed and told me my friends and brother were in over on the next platform. I thanked her and then flew next to Soren and Gylfie who had just arrived.

"How is your wing?" Soren asked.

"It feels better," I said and stretched it out. We went next to everyone and I saw that Digger was stuffing himself with bugs.

"How's the food?" Gylfie asked. Digger tried to speak with his beak full of bugs but no one understood him. Twilight pretended to know.

"He said good but he thinks it will go better with a little music," Twilight said.

"What!" Digger said and spat out the bugs.

"This looks like a decent crowd," Twilight said as he began to play the loot. As he did, Soren explained how the rest of the night was going to go. He said that we were going to be picked for chaws like navigation and healing. I was brought a mouse and I ate it happily. Soren laughed and put his wing around me. I realized that Soren cared for me so much even before the Pure Ones got us. He wanted to help me but I always pushed him away because that what Kludd did. I wanted to be like Kludd. He really cared for me most of the time when Ma and Da were gone. But Soren made me realize that I was my own owl. I could choose whatever path I wanted to follow.

_***Later***_

"Here in the great tree," Boron explained. "Every owl has special skills we call chaws. They study tracking or maybe you're a blacksmith.

_***Blacksmith***_

I watched as the owl pounded a mallet against a sword over an open fire. Soren and I looked behind us and saw metal masks, lined up in rows. They were ready to be worn and taken into battle if needed.

_***Tracking***_

The owl moved his wing and let Digger look throughout the ground for a hermit crab they buried. Digger took of right away with his face near the ground. Otulissa looked back as Soren, Twilight, and I cover our faces with our wings. She faced forward as the dirt was thrown at her. Digger found the hermit crab. It came out of its shell and pinched Digger which made him drop it. Digger searched the ground again looking for the hermit crab. It was behind him and the crab pinched him where he wasn't expecting. We all laughed as Digger ran around.

_***Navigation***_

An owl pulled back a cover and light shone on the darkness above. It showed stars and constellations. Gylfie looked at them with wide eyes.

_***Combat***_

Soren and I faced each other with wooden sticks on our legs. We had them both crossed. Soren charged at me and swung one of his sticks. I let myself fall for a second to dodge, and then I wacked my stocks at his. Soren pushed off and charged at me again. I sung my stick and made contact with his. I pulled back and then we both charged and pushed with our wings as the both of our sticks made contact. Soren and I breathed heavily and smiled at each other.

_***Later***_

Soren and I let go of the floating lights. We watched as they flew into the air and lit up the night. It was so beautiful. Soren and I smiled at each other, proud of what we did. We all walked back in the tree and were all laughing at Digger's joke which was actually funny. Soren stopped and looked back. I went over to him to see what he was looking at. Ezylryb spread his wings over the fire and opened his eyes.

"Fire," he said. "Is the life and blood of the tree. There's nothing more dangerous."

_***Later***_

Those were the best days of my life. Spending them with my brother Soren, wishing Kludd and Eglantine were here to see this. What I had never believed in was actually true. Right now, Soren was reading a story to me. It was called Battle of the Ice Claws. Even though Da had told it to me, I still listened but with a different mind and idea. Soren stopped reading and looked at the symbol on the bottom of the page.

"How do you think this owl knows that's what happened?" I asked. Soren put his wing around me.

"Maybe Lyze of Kiel wrote this book," Soren said. I heard a flapping noise and Ezylryb perched on the stand that held the book open.

"Doing some wee hours reading, eh?" he said and looked at the book.

"Yeah, it's battle of the Ice Claws," Soren said. "My Da used to tell this story all the time."

"Your dad had good taste in authors," Ezylryb said. "You enjoying it?"

"It's not at all how Da told it," I said. Soren looked at me and nodded. "But it does say the truth of a real battle.

"C'mon, it's almost first light," Ezylryb said and closed the book. "I'm going to teach you to really fly." He grabbed a centipede and took a big bite out of it.

_***Later***_

Almost frozen ice pounded against my wings as I flapped in a struggle to stay in the air.

"Feel the gutters," Ezylryb said as he flew forward and stayed in the air like it was no problem. "The currents in the wind. The baggy wrinkles."

"Baggy wrinkles?" Otulissa said. "He could have a least given us a vocabulary list."

"This is the way to learn!" Ezylryb shouted.

"This is exactly how I want to learn!" Digger screamed as he was pushed back a bit. "In a monsoon!" I thought it was funny how Digger hated this so much. It was kind of refreshing. I looked over and saw everyone falling back except Soren. I tried to feel each wind current that came by me. I looked at my feathers and some of them were going that way and this way. I felt the wind going in a spiral and went for it. Soren must have felt it to and he flew right along with me.

"Ah ha, you see that," Ezylryb said. "Soren and Solara are seeing this chance." I flew right into the spiral with Soren right behind me. I spread out my wings and let them rest. "Go for it! Use your gizzard! Fly inside!" I closed my eyes and then opened them to see the world going in slow motion. I listen to my heart and my gizzard and followed them. I flew right on the edge of the spiral and tipped my wing slightly. My wings were spread out to their full length and felt the wind currents changing. I followed them with my gizzard until I was flying upside down. My eyes were closed the whole time ad I opened them when I felt the currents changing again. I saw Soren suddenly flip over and flap his wings. He was falling toward the water and unable to keep himself in the air.

"Soren!" Gylfie called. Soren fell right past Twilight and Ezylryb dived downward. He wasn't going to make it to Soren so I gave it a try. I folded my wings to my side and dove straight toward Soren. Soren was falling head first toward the water. When I got close enough, I spread my wings and locked my talons with Soren. I flapped hard against the wind and looked down at Soren.

"Are you okay?" I asked over the screaming wind.

"Yeah," Soren said.

"Soren, on three, I want you to swing up," I said. Soren nodded. "One…. Two…. Three!" I swung back and Soren swung up and flapped his wings. He rose into the air and I fell toward the water. This was like when I saved Digger but things were going to be different. I folded my wings and waited and waited. I felt a current and spread my wings out. The wind carried me into high into the air and I flew up to Soren.

"Solara," Soren said. Ezylryb flew by us.

"You two come to my hollow," Ezylryb said.

**_*At the Hollow*_**

Ezylryb was using a metal talon to stir around some bits of charcoal.

"I don't know what happened," Soren said. Ezylryb threw off the metal talon and went over to write in his book. "We flew a great way out here and it was nothing like that."

"You've got no reason to worry boy," Ezylryb said. "I confess I guided you into that twister on purpose. I wanted to test your gizzards. You were both exemplary."

"Exemplary?" Soren said. "No, I nearly got my wings ripped off. My head was saying to do one thing while my gizzard said to do another."

"And you trusted your head." Ezylryb stamped a mark in his book. "That's when you failed." Soren studied the mark.

"Is that your mark?" Soren asked.

"What this? Yes."

"So you wrote the chronicle Battle of the Ice Claws."

"I think so. Well, actually, yes."

"Were you there?"

"Yes."

"As a scribe?" Ezylryb closed the book and went to hang it up with the others.

"No, as a soldier. Well, I guess you could say as a leader of all the soldiers."

"You're Lyze of Kiel."

"Um, yes."

"You're Lyze of Kiel."

"Yes, don't wear it out." Soren looked at the metal talon. "That old thing? It's only good for gathering coals."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Soren felt as if hope was leaving. I heard a the familiar chime from when we first entered the tree. I looked out of the hollow and saw an owl. As the owl came closer, I saw that it was Allomere. He carried something in his talons but where were the other two? Allomere landed on the platform closest to the water. Something didn't feel right. I turned back toward Soren.

"We should go over there," I said. Soren nodded his head. I flapped my wings to jump out and then I soared way across the tree. Soren followed a few yards behind me. I often had to flap up or down in order to avoid colliding with another owl.

"Quickly," Allomere called. "These owlets need attention." I landed before Soren and pushed my way passed other owlets. Before I got to the front, I saw Allomere walk off. He was hurt. I saw Soren land but that didn't stop me from going to the nest. Two owlets lay very still inside of it. One was very familiar.

"Soren!" I called. "Hurry, come here!"

"Let me through," Soren said as he pushed other owls. "Let me pass." He came to me and I moved to the side. He turned around the Barn Owl, more like owlet. Her eyes glowed a rich white color like the moon.

"Eglantine," Soren said under his breathe. He turned to Barran. "Do you think you can help her?"

"We will do our best," Barran said before she carried off the two, moon blinked owlets. I flew after her and waited patiently to enter the hollow she was placed in. Mrs. P slithered up the tree trunk and we both waited. I eventually saw dozens of owls, covered with metal masks and talons, ready to take on the Pure Ones. Soren came just as they let us in the hollow but I left. I saw something as the guardians left. I flew toward the bottom of the tree. There was a hollow only big enough for one owl to fit in. I managed to get in and hiding in the shadows was a flower. It was a pink color and had five, long petals. Dotted on the petals were little yellow spots. The flower was in the position where it would get sunlight as the sun was setting. It was a pretty flower and I wanted it to stay as it was. I don't think anyone else would see it but I packed up some dirt against the bottom of the entrance as I left. I returned to Soren but he came rushing out.

"Soren, where are you going?" I asked. Soren didn't answer and just left. I waited until he came back. On his left talon was Ezylryb's old talon.

"C'mon Solara," Soren said. "We need to everyone to play their part in this family."

** Oooo, mystery. You may think you know what is coming but you may not know. Things aren't always what they seem.**

**~WaterNinja134 will be right back!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Battling Spirit

**Chapter 5: The Battling Spirit**

Night had taken over and a blazing light danced in the distant. I glanced toward Soren as he continued to fly forward. He hadn't explained to me where we're going, but I got the hint once St. Aegolius came into view.

"Soren." I called. "Why are we here?"

"It's a trap." Soren calmly explained. "Those blue specks do something to an owl's gizzard that no one can withstand."

The metal flecks? Those ones we had to dig from owl pellets? I remember Soren losing his breath and energy and huffing loudly. But nothing happened to me. I had no idea what Soren was talking about.

"I see something." Digger said, pointing his talon to a rock that darted up from the ground. "Over there."

A perfectly forged iron mask lay on the rock near a few feathers and speckles of blood. I shiver went down my spine and I faced back forward, flapping my wings.

"Check out that fire." Soren said.

The blazing light that we had come closer to now formed itself to look like a fire. Smoke clouded the sky above it.

"Solara." Gylfie whispered. "Look."

Just around the mountain, blue lights shimmered through the trees. I gulped and looked at Soren who had noticed the lights as well. He looked scared.

We all landed on the mountain, between the fire and the dancing blue lights that sucked out the Guardians freedom to move. I looked at all the owls, seeing Boron's and Barran's gizzards being affected the power of the flecks.

"Ezylryb!" I whispered, catching Soren's attention.

The Barn Owl gasped as he saw his favorite teacher at the mercy of Metal Beak. But Soren knew that Metal Beak would show no mercy, especially to Lyze of Kiel. Metal Beak would make sure that he died in the most painful way possible.

The familiar, ear-piercing screech split the air of St. Aegolius, sending a message. Suddenly, thousands of bats flooding out the cave and flew into the metal flecks' reach, only, they weren't affected by it.

"We can' just leave them down there, writhing in pain." Twilight stated.

"When we were captured, we saw what the flecks do." Gylfie stated. "They do something terrible to your gizzard."

My attention focused on the rope that held open a giant container filled with the metal flecks. Then, I glanced at the fire. If fire can do that to a forest, then maybe it can burn the rope.

"Soren." I whispered. "I have an idea."

"Uhh, we've got a bat problem." Digger said.

"Not to worry." Twilight braved. "I can down a hundred of those blood suckers!"

"How about a thousand?"

I looked to the smoky blue sky, seeing a blotch of black above the Guardians. Vampire bats can be a real threat to an owl. They usually only suck a small amount but if they're working for Metal Beak, then those bats will put every last Guardian out of their misery.

"Let's go get those bats!" Twilight shouted.

"Wait." I said. "Soren."

"Twilight." Soren responded. "The flame. I think I see a way to free the Guardians."

"Soren! You can't fly into fire!" Gylfie demanded.

"Listen Gylfie. I need to trust my gizzard."

"Don't worry Gylfie." I said. "I'll make sure Soren is okay."

"I'll try and buy you as much time as I can. But hurry, and be careful." Twilight wished Soren luck and the three owls flew off to fight the bats.

I turned to Soren. "What should I do?"

Soren jumped into flight and grabbed onto a metal teapot. He scrapped at the pointed rock it was hocked on, spilling oil out of the sides. With one final scratch of his metal talon, the pot fell off.

Soren struggled to keep himself in the air but the teapot weighed him down. I quickly fell to my back and pushed Soren up with my talons.

"Solara, stay here." Soren commanded. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Soren took off for the fire, but I stayed behind, watching the Guardians writhe in pain, trying to escape. Even the pain of watching them was unbearable, so I took to the sky to look for Soren.

Just as I soared over the mountain, Soren dived into the fire. I watched as he flew closer and closer to the flames, carrying the teapot filled with oil.

"Use your gizzard Soren!" I shouted to him.

Soren flew. Flew straight into the fire. He stretched his wings and soared right under the curving tip of a dancing flame. He held onto the pot with his metal talon and let his left on fall off. The teapot caught on fire and Soren soared twirled through the tip of the fire, straight into the sky.

The moon rose behind him as he held fire in his talons. He would be a true Guardian if his plan worked. Suddenly, he let himself dive straight toward the reach of the metal flecks.

"You can do it Soren!" I cheered. "Fly inside!"

Like a comet, Soren was surrounded by a blue light and shot toward the ground at full speed, aiming for the ropes. I could tell he was hurting a lot right now. The power of the flecks caused your gizzard to fail to tell you what you need to do. But Soren's gizzard was still there. He, was still _fighting_!

Soren's eyes were on Ezylryb. The bats were already too close to him. 'You can do it Soren. I believe you can.'

Soren shot his wings out and threw the metal teapot. He hit the ground next to Ezylryb and struggled to move and breath.

I dropped my flight and dove down, seeing the small flame still falling. Soren had missed. But there was still a chance.

"Solara! NO!" Soren yelled.

It was too late to stop. I had to break my fear and keep going. I could feel a force jabbing at me, trying to get to my gizzard. But an invisible force field surrounded me. I had broken the fear and now the flecks had no chance of penetrating me.

I neared the teapot and flipped around, grasping it with my talons. No wonder Soren had trouble flying with it. It was heavy and pulled me toward the ground.

I forced my wings up and down, just in time to lightly touch the ground. I huffed, tired of just that one flap. I still held onto the flame and looked up, seeing the rope just above me.

"Solara." Soren gasped.

I jumped into the air and flapped, flapped my wings harder and harder. I rose slightly above the gathering of flecks, but I couldn't stop there. I could hear the bats right above my head.

I had to dive. It was now or never.

I took a deep breath and let go of my wings, throwing the pot once I was about two feet from it. I gave a force of my wings and barely managed to avoid the explosion that came next.

I landed on the ground, smiling and panting at the same time. A loud boom split the air and the marvelous blue lights disappeared.

"That was exemplary." Ezylryb said. "But we're not finished yet."

Many Pure Ones darted from behind Metal Beak, including Nyra. My eyes glowed a fiery red and I was about to take off into flight, ready to help. Ezylryb's wing held me back.

"I need you both to stay here and guard these owlets."

All the Guardians took off, leaving us small band of owls here, with the moon blinked ones.

Talon on talon the owls fought. They bashed into each other and swords collided.

"Kludd?" Soren said.

My heart rate went up and I immediately saw Kludd soaring through the sky, straight toward us. I ran forward and curved my feathers. I pushed off the ground and flapped, rising into the air.

I had to dodge flying owls and metal talons to even stay in the air. Getting to Kludd was my only objective. I flapped once more and rolled mid-air, dodging two owls who had started to fall out of the sky.

"Kludd!" I yelled.

I flew straight into Kludd and felt a sharp pain in my wing. I was spun around and then thrown straight toward the fire Soren had been in. I couldn't gain my balance and hit my stomach on a branch, gripping onto it so I wouldn't fall into the flame.

I looked all around for a Pure One who would try to hit me. The only thing I could hear was the sound of a flickering fire.

"Hello. Sister."

I was bashed into another tree by a pair of talons and landed on a branch. Then, I slid off that one and fell closer to the flame, only to hit another branch square on my back.

I coughed but got back up, still looking around for someone. I started to breathe heavily.

"Your precious Guardians are finished Solara."

Another shove forced me to fall onto yet another branch.

"The Pure Ones will triumph and Tytos will take their rightful place as rulers of the owl kingdom!"

I could see Kludd flying toward me out of the corner of my eye. He jumped toward me and spread his talons.

"It's going to be glorious!"

I backed toward the tree trunk and smashed my wing into Kludd, causing him to hit the ground by a tree stump. I flew down to him as he lay on the dirt.

"Glorious?" I questioned. "No, the Pure Ones are monsters. You saw what they were doing. They were moon blinking other owls and turning them into slaves."

"You're just weak Solara." Kludd said. "Still believing in dreams."

Kludd jumped at me but I pushed myself off the ground and jumped onto the tree trunk, still watching Kludd.

"Your wrong Kludd!" I shouted. "I never believed in the Guardians, but Soren did. It was Soren who lead everyone to the Guardians. I don't understand. How could you join the Pure Ones? Even after what they did to us."

"What they did to us!" Kludd raged. "They believed in me like no one else ever has!"

I listen and hung onto every word that Kludd said, seeing his whole body covered in scars and bruises.

"They believe the strong will triumph, the broken are put out of their misery, and honor, honor is just another word for weakness!"

"No Kludd." I cried. "I know you don't believe that. You know that I believed in you. You were always my favorite brother. Kludd, don't you still care about me? Love me?"

Suddenly, Kludd was tackled into the air by Soren. He was listening the whole time. The both tumbled down a fallen tree and closer to the over whelming heat of the fire.

I thought they both hit the ground and flew on the tree to see. Soren held onto a branch with one talon and locked the other with Kludd's talon. Kludd screamed in pain and his wing looked crooked.

"Soren, Soren, my wing is broken." Kludd cried. "Help me up."

I could tell that Soren wasn't sure if he should help Kludd.

"I'm your brother." Kludd admitted.

Soren pulled with everything he had, grunting as he did. I couldn't imagine that Kludd was light weight. Kludd's free talon wrapped onto the tree branch and he pulled on that one only.

Suddenly, the branch broke and Soren lost his grip on his brother. Kludd tumbled down the fallen tree and engulfed by the flames.

I could feel Soren's anger as he looked past the branch I perched on. The sound of clanking metal filled my ears and I looked behind me, seeing the cave in which the sounds came from. I could almost hear Soren thoughts.

"Metal Beak." Soren whispered, his thoughts raging.

I heard only one thought, "Mend the broken, and vanquish evil."

Soren broke off the fire hot branch and darted straight past me while I was looking for Kludd in the fire. He told me to follow him and we arrived at the cave where I could see Nyra and her mate Metal Beak thrashing and pounding their talons against Ezylryb.

Metal Beak threw Ezylryb toward Nyra and she dodged, letting the old owl hit the wall. He tried to use his talons to hit her as he slide down the rock, but Nyra grabbed them and threw him back to her mate. Metal Beak grabbed Ezylryb and bashed him against the ground, holding his talons to Lyze of Kiel's throat.

"Be done with it then." he simply said.

Solara," Soren whispered. "Stay here and get the rest of the Guardians for help. Don't come after me no matter what."

"Soren what are-." I didn't get to finish.

Soren brought his little branch with him and he smashed into Metal Beak, throwing him straight off Ezylryb. Soren swung the branch but missed and Metal Beak, causing him to lose his balance and roll on the ground.

Metal Beak grabbed the branch with his talons and Soren with his. They were both pushing, but Metal Beak did it effortlessly. Soren twitched, but held his grip. Ezylryb tried to get up but Nyra immediately held him to the ground, wings pinned.

"I'm not letting you hurt one more soul!" Soren justified.

Metal Beak laughed, "Oh you're not letting me. What a pity to waste such a young, strong, and confident young Tyto."

"Soren." Ezylryb called.

"Oh," Metal Beak's face changed. "You know this sad, old owl."

"He's my teacher, my hero." Soren replied confidently, still trying to push Metal Beak off."

Ezylryb struggled again. "Don't move." Nyra replied to his useless power.

"Well your teacher can teach you one last lesson about Pure Ones' strength, by letting you watch him die."

I took flight, aiming toward the giant owl. But as if on cue, Metal Beak turned around and hit me against the ground. I landed on my left wing and a searing pain stung though it. I cried out in agony as Metal Beak's weigh was lifted off me.

Soren swung his fire branch at Metal Beak, missing over and over again but still refusing to give up. Metal Beak swiped his talon and the branch flew off a cliff and hit the ground below, still on fire.

I saw that Ezylryb had managed to throw Nyra off but he watched Soren intently, knowing something that I didn't. I got up and screamed in pain again, trying to lift my left wing but only getting a throttle of pain piercing through it. I walked over to the cliff as Soren and Metal Beak both dived toward the simple branch.

Soren grabbed it midair but started to lose his balance and slightly move his wings, which was enough to completely throw him off balance.

"Soren!" I yelled.

I flapped, trying my best to ignore the searing pain that coursed through my wings. I dived, straight toward Soren who had lost the branch and was desperately trying to grab it. I had to buy Soren some time.

I flew straight next to Metal Beak and scratched him with one talon, throwing off my entire balance. Soren didn't make it, so I did something drastic.

I put held one claw out and touched the branch toward Soren while Metal Beak shredded his claws against my chest. I fell and hit the ground, desperately trying to breathe. Soren clutched the branch and pointed it out, covering his face with his wings. I heard a grunt and then Metal Beak laughed.

"Soren!" I gasped, smiling.

The branch had broken in the process of being stabbed into the large owl's chest. Metal Beak tipped over and stopped breathing. Nyra realized this defeat and called back the rest of the Pure Ones.

Twilight, Digger, Gylfie, and Lyze flew down to meet Soren. "Soren, you did what was right." Ezylryb said.

I slowly stood up and walked painfully over to Soren. I smiled and he looked at my broken wing. I gave no emotion to my face and just looked at it limped and crooked.

"We should get both of you back to the tree."

*Later*

"Are you ready to leave?" Barran asked me after everyone had left.

"I-I," I couldn't answer.

"Are you okay?" Soren asked. Soren wanted to fly by my side while Barran carried me back to the Ga'hoole tree because I had broken my wing. But something glinted down in the dying forest fire. "Is it your wing?"

I shook my head. "No. I see something. Down in the forest."

Barran gently wrapped her talons around my wings and carried me down to the burnt forest. I looked around, seeing nothing but embers. But, the embers became bigger and bigger, soon dying because of the lack of fuel. A shadow formed on the ground in front of me and looked oddly familiar.

A Barn Owl burst through the smoke, begging to breath. The feathers between his eyes parted in the middle and wing broken.

"Kludd!" I screamed and ran toward my brother.

*Later*

We arrived at the tree the next morning. Barran gently placed me on the ground and I immdeiatly saw Mum and Da waiting for me. I called Soren andran toward them both. Eglantine jumped and hugged me with her wings and Da put his wing around me.

"Da!" Soren joyed. "Your storied are real."

"You made them real Soren." Da responded.

*One week Later*

I walked through the Great Ga'hoole hall, Guardians bowing to me. Even Ezylryb bowed to me. Our small band of owls, including Kludd, now stood before their king and Queen as young Guardians of Ga'hoole.

Barran placed the helmet on my head. And I vowed with the rest of my band, "I promise, to make strong the weak, mend the broken, and, without hesitation, vanquish evil."

** It's about time I got another chapter up for Solara's story. I've been getting a lot of follows and just finally decided to put it up. I know, the ending is a little rushed but I'm typing this at like 11 at night so cut me some slack.**

** I know what you guys are thinking. Oh no! Solara is over! Her story is done! Well you are wrong. I will make more chapters of this story hopefully by this weekend or Monday.**

** Please review. I like what you guys have to say.**

**~WaterNinja134 will be right back!**


End file.
